


How would you call it?

by Livvinamess



Category: UP10TION
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Fluff, I promise is not sad, Kinda, M/M, Non-Linear Narrative, Past Lives, Soulmate AU, Strangers, but there's no angst, i guess, in a new life, kunh was a prince kogi was a scholar and they met again, mostly - Freeform, there's a bunch of flahsbacks, they died but it's fine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-24 19:01:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22122871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Livvinamess/pseuds/Livvinamess
Summary: How would you call it? When two strangers keep finding each other by chance?Looking at the man in front of him, at Sooil, who had not let go of his hand even after introductions were done, who was staring at him with warm eyes and soft smiles, he wondered then, if he could call it fate.He wondered then if it was meant to happen from the beginning.Following a story they kept seeing at night.
Relationships: Go Minsoo | Kogyeol/No Sooil | Kuhn
Kudos: 20





	How would you call it?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello~
> 
> I was really hesitant to post this for many different reasons, but I liked writing this so much, so I decided, after all, it's woth posting, for people who are just as starved as I have been for fanfics in this fandom.
> 
> I think I could have expanded this universe a lot more than I did here, and I was going to, but I was pretty content on how the story was, I guess when I started adding things it didn't feel right, so here we are with this short thing I hope you all can enjoy regardless.
> 
> As always folks, kudos and comments are really appreciated.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy.

_A prince that fell in love, with little escapades to the gardens at night, when workers were asleep, when servants were tending the monarchs, when the King and Queen were getting ready for sleep, attending more important matters than the running prince in the middle of the fields, dirtying his fine clothing, hand clutching tightly another of the scholar, who would trail behind him, hiding the giggles._

_‘’It won’t look good for you, as the future ruler, to keep running away.’’ The scholar would say, when they could finally lay down, on a secluded part, outside of the castle and outside of the prying eyes around in the village._

_And he would laugh._

_‘’I guess it won’t.’’ The prince would whisper, to the stars, to the boy, holding his hand tightly, clutching it against his chest, kissing his knuckles tenderly. ‘’But I don’t care.’’_

_‘’You probably should.’’ And the prince would relish on the scholar's voice, loving the long strands of hair falling on his shoulders freely after an entire day of trying it up neatly, he would relish those moments, of seeing him, usually so collected and put together, carefree like that with him. ‘’It’ll become your duty, at some point.’’_

_But they would kiss regardless, they would kiss their worries away, tender light pecks they couldn’t allow themselves in the day, not rushing anymore, taking what they needed, what they could have, under the stars and the moon, the only witness of their little story._

_Hands tangling on long strands, free of any formal hats and formal braids._

_They would savour those nights._

He was having a bad day.

The pouring rain outside and the lack of an umbrella in his workbag were honestly the cherry on top to his insufferable day at work, with a still coffee stained shirt from that morning encounter with the demon of his co-worker, and yet another sleepless night after sudden months and months of strange dreams, really strange dreams, with blurry faces, familiar somehow that he couldn’t remember when he woke up, and strange places that were becoming a lot clearer, a lot more intense lately, he walked outside the building, throwing a smile and a ‘’See you’’ to the guard on the door.

All he had left was pray, that his feet didn’t slip on the wet pavement, that the cars passing by didn’t went rushing past him not mindful of the deep puddles the rain formed just at the side of the street, pray that he could find a cab with a driver that wouldn’t mind the wet seats too much, just so he could get home, cuddle up with a soft blanket and warm chocolate.

Minsoo, though, wasn’t blessed with good luck, something his grandmother was always quick to point out whenever he spoke about his terrible days, always complaining about how horrible of a person he must have been in his past life to receive so much bad karma, not that he believed in those stuff no matter how superstitious his family was.

But after standing under the rain a little too long, soaking wet from head to toe so much to mind the cars rushing past him, soaking him even more with dirty water, realizing his bag was probably dripping as well and so all his stuff inside, including his cellphone, he cursed his past life for whatever he had done, it was easier blaming it for the misfortunes he kept living.

The cab that stopped when he had put his soaked arm up felt like a sudden blessing, like a small ray of sunshine in the otherwise horribly gray day.

‘’Thank god,’’ He mumbled to himself, not questioning the strange place the cab had stopped, parking in the street in front, just running towards it, avoiding the passing vehicles on the street and covering from the rain with his bag while he opened the door. 

‘’It’s really cold out here.’’ He was still mumbling when he looked inside, planning to seat at the edge to avoid wetting anything as much as he could with his soaking clothing, throwing his leather bag in first, crouching down to sit.

That’s when his eyes saw inside, startled by the presence of another man already seating comfortably at the other edge, door halfway closed, umbrella wet but his clothes, a casual look, remained dry despite the pouring rain, a man with honey brown hair pushed to the side, wet at the edges, a man that looked just as startled as he was.

Minsoo’s ears burned.

‘’Oh my god!’’ He yelped, taking back his bag quickly. ‘’I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was already taken.’’

He was Go Minsoo after all, unlucky soul.

Preparing to retreat from the car, close the door and bury that memory in the back of his mind where all his embarrassing moments were, he heard the man talk softly, a little rushed.

‘’No, no, it’s alright.’’ And he was a little stunned by the reaction, the man shrugged. ‘’I’m not mean enough to throw you back out on the streets.’’ He explained, and Minsoo blinked, shocked. ‘’You are soaking wet.’’

‘’And so will my car if you boys don’t close the goddam doors.’’ The driver spat, uninterested on their situation, not even sparing them a glance through the mirror.

Some cars honked behind them, impatient.

Which spurred Minsoo into taking an impulsive decision, getting inside quickly, closing the door just as fast, still seating at the edge, still clutching his stuff to his chest, just so it wouldn’t make a bigger of a mess, but his eyes were staring at the stranger, a little insecure.

The stranger smiled, just barely, a small raise of his lips, and Minsoo’s heart stuttered.

_Had…had he seen this man before?_

‘’Are you sure this is okay?’’ Minsoo asked, voice trembling a little, having a stranger on the other side of the cab must not be what this nice looking man was expecting, but he wasn’t sure he could step back out now, not when he got a taste of the warmth inside instead of the ruthless cold droplets falling intensely, wetting his skin.

The stranger nodded, taking his phone out to check something on it quickly. ‘’As long as you pay your part we are good.’’ He said, and Minsoo sighed, relaxing into the seat, the stranger looked back up at him. ‘’Where are you going?’’

He was thrown off by the question, not wanting to give too much information, but he saw the driver stop in a red light, staring back at him through the mirror, suddenly remembering that yeah, he needed to say that out loud if he wanted the driver to go anywhere.

‘’Just around the block, is not too far.’’ He mumbled lamely. ‘’I can instruct you if you want,’’ He told the driver, who shrugged uninterested. ‘’I just didn’t feel like walking in this rain.’’

The stranger hummed.

‘’I wouldn’t have gotten out in the first place.’’ The man spoke, softly, as if afraid he would step a line over how awkward the situation already was, but he was still looking kindly back at him. ‘’Not without an umbrella.’’

Minsoo chuckled, but it came out bitter. ‘’I thought I had one, really.’’

‘’Seems like you were in a hurry, anything important coming up?’’

Minsoo bit his lip.

Is not like he had anywhere important to go after work, is not like his blankets and his bed would disappear if he came a little later, but he had spent a lot of his day surrounded by people, squeezed in his cubicle looking down at numbers and wondering why had they decided to put him in the accounting team this time when he was stupid, taunted too many times by Wooseok, that bastard, so staying back in the building, even if it was just to wait out the rain, felt stuffy, and stressful.

‘’Something like that.’’ He said, looking at the streets. ‘’I have an important date with my bed and some hot chocolate, we’ve been planning it for months.’’ Wooseok would have frowned at that, groaning at how boring he was.

The stranger just laughed, though, and _oh._

_Oh._

He had definitely heard that before, he was sure of it.

So, confused, maybe a little startled, he turned back towards the man with honey brown hair, eyes catching him with a small smile gracing his features, stretching his cheeks, showing his teeth, making his eyes squeeze tighter, almost disappearing, wrinkles covering his sides, expression lines everywhere and he had definitely seen that before.

His heart was thumping a little too loud, a little too fast, a sudden tinge of overwhelming confusion falling over him.

_Where had he seen him?_

_Why did he know that laugh? Why could he feel it so deeply?_

‘’Sounds serious.’’ He chuckled and Minsoo had momentarily forgotten they were talking. ‘’I’m glad we are on our way, then, wouldn’t want to keep your date waiting.’’

Minsoo hummed. ‘’Is a pretty serious relationship we have.’’

The stranger chuckled again, softer this time.

After that, it was quiet, the soft winter music coming from the radio filling the silence, and it wasn’t uncomfortable, not exactly, but still a little awkward, because they were still strangers, still unfamiliar, just two grown man taking the same cab for convenience, there was still the small tinge of _something_ there, a memory he couldn’t place, a memory that held that laugh Minsoo couldn’t seem to bring back.

He shivered a little, not from the cold clothes sticking to his skin, but decided to ignore the sensation, the prickle of something akin to sadness squeezing softly around his heart.

They were strangers, Minsoo had no way of knowing that laugh, he was sure he had never seen that man before, he would have remembered.

It was hallway through the ride, neighborhood already familiar to him, driver already knowing with certainty where they were going, with some shivers still rocking his body slowly, that he felt something warm, _dry,_ touch his shoulders, and he jumped at the feeling, turning to face the stranger a little surprised, who was carefully placing the brown jacket he was just wearing moments ago over Minsoo’s shoulders.

‘’It’ll get wet.’’ He blurted out, confused, but the stranger only smiled at him again, wide, soft, lips pulling his cheek up, eyes almost disappearing, honey hair moving softly to cover his forehead at the motion.

His heart stuttered, loud, painful.

And the smile.

_The smile._

_He had to have seen it before, there’s no way his mind could be making up the sudden feeling of recognition, the need to know._

‘’I know.’’ The stranger acknowledged. ‘’But you’ve been shivering,’’ He pointed. ‘’And I’ll rather do something than watch you get sick.’’ He went back to look at the window, facing away from him, and Minsoo tried to ignore the way his heart shrinked at the loss of the sudden smile. ‘’Besides, you have an important appointment, you wouldn’t want to be sick for that.’’

Minsoo smiled, shaking his head, pulling the jacket a little bit around his shoulders, and it wasn’t exactly helping, with the cold and the wetness, but it still felt nice, it still did _something._

He had to ask.

He had to.

‘’Have…’’ He cleared his throat, bringing back the man’s attention, who just stared quietly, kindly despite all. ‘’Have I seen you before? I feel like I have.’’

‘’Oh?’’ His eyebrows raised, smiling. ‘’In your dreams, perhaps?’’ He asked, a little too confidently, and after a second, both of them bursted out chuckling, Minsoo groaning a little while the man besides him laughed a more freely. ‘’What? Is that not how the pick-up line goes?’’

‘’Pick-up line?’’ Minsoo asked, smile still on his face.

‘’Were you not flirting?’’ The stranger seemed pleased, the charming smile never faltering, followed by a light chuckle when he stared, amused.

Minsoo laughed, shaking his head. ‘’You just seemed really familiar, that’s all.’’ The stranger hummed. ‘’But I guess not.’’

‘’No, I’m sorry,’’ He said, sighing. ‘’I don’t think we have met before.’’ There was still something playful to his tone when he proceeded to say. ‘’I would have remembered a face like yours for sure.’’

Minsoo leaned a little closer, raising an eyebrow. ‘’Oh? How come?’’

But before the man could answer, the driver coughed a little, startling them both out of the conversation.

‘’Sir, I believe we have reached your destination.’’ And Minsoo straighten, looking out of the window a little shocked, staring back at him was his building, orange bricks soaked, darker than they usually looked, a security guard standing inside, visible through the glass doors, ready to open them for any bystanders seeking cover from the rain, for residents rushing in to avoid getting wet.

‘’Oh,’’ He breathed out. ‘’Right, right, thank you.’’ And he turned back towards the stranger, looking inside his pockets for his wallet, taking out what he needed and passing it to him, smiling softly. ‘’I’m paying my part,’’ He told him, when the man only raised his eyebrows. ‘’So we are all good.’’

And after some hesitation, the man took it.

‘’Thank you so much.’’ He told the stranger warmly, before opening the door, who just smiled back at him, eyes wrinkling.

‘’No problem.’’ He said when Minsoo was stepping out. ‘’I hope that date with your bed goes as wonderful as it sounds.’’

Minsoo chuckled, closing the door and rushing inside his building, greeting the guard good afternoon when he was addressed with a head nod.

Noticing a little too late the brown jacket still thrown over his shoulders.

Noticing a little too late the already moving cab.

_As scholar, a scholar trusted with teaching, shy and clumsy over the interested looks and playful smiles of the young prince, seating in a library, big and spacious, filled with paper and parchments with important information they were supposed to be getting at, instead, they were arguing, just as they did every other day._

_‘’It doesn't feel right, my prince,’’ The scholar whispered, fear of getting overheard by the guards outside monitoring his job, the prince frowned. ‘’Dropping the formalities, it would be disrespectful towards—‘’_

_‘’Please,'' The prince whispered back softly. ''Please, just call me by my name.'' His eyes were pleading, posture forgotten, etiquette unused. ‘’Those silly honorifics make me sad.’’_

_‘’I know.’’ He smiled, just slightly, enjoying the small surprised eyes staring back at him._

_‘’You are just being annoying, then?’’_

_‘’As always,’’ He came closer, rustling his robes, hands touching the prince’s hair softly, forbidden. ‘’As always…Kuhn.’’_

_He always treasured the little smile the prince would let out after the words left his lips, always treasured the little pecks that came afterwards, soft, fast and hurried, afraid of being caught, but never, never unsure._

Ever since Sooil was a child, he was told, by grownups, by specialists his parents thought were necessary to seek when he started talking about it, that it was only a coping mechanism, some said it was because stress, some said it was because of anxiety, an escape his mind decided to create for a life so full of bad things, for some people it came in the form of alcohol, they had said, for others it came in the form of cigarettes, and apparently, for little Sooil back then, it came in the form of dreams.

Dreams with blurry faces and calming sounds that he couldn’t remember when he woke up but always felt vivid, real.

So it was ridiculous, really, that Sooil was even thinking they could be something more than just dreams, when he woke up at nights sometimes feeling incredibly happy, when he woke up crying some mornings still with the fullest thumping heart and a tingling sensation running through his entire body, it was ridiculous, because no matter how vivid the voice in his dreams spoke, no matter how strong he could hear it, whispering things he always forgot when his eyes opened, it was just supposed to be a childish coping mechanism for dealing with life as an adult.

But it had spoken.

For once in his life, after he woke up in the middle of the night, with a cold sweat running down his spine and some tears on his face, for once in his life, when he opened his eyes, he could remember.

What the soft voice that tormented every single one of his nights had whispered.

He had cried, then, when he had woken up, all shaken up in front of the bathroom mirror of his crappy apartment, he had cried for a few good minutes, not really knowing why, not really knowing what exactly had made him react like that.

He wasn’t scared, wasn’t upset, and even when he couldn’t remember anything else of that dream aside of the warm words whispered, all he could feel was an intense overwhelming sadness, squeezing his heart really tight, choking him up, coughs slipping past his closed throat, breathing impossible.

_Kuhn._

He saw his own handwriting, ink smudged over the ripped, wet and crumbled piece of paper, all scrambled and fast in his haze of not forgetting anything, not this time, because finally, finally the voice in his dreams, the voice tormenting him for years, had whispered, the piece of paper was wet, _what even was that?_

_What did it mean?_

‘’I think I’m going crazy.’’ He whispered over the phone when he managed to calm down later that night, after letting Jinwook yell at him for waking him up _at three in the fucking morning, Sooil, you know how rude that is?!_

_‘’You keep saying that.’’_ His friend answered, grumpy from sleep, voice groggy. _‘’You’ve been saying that for the past hour, Sooil, what is it?’’_

He bit his lip, in the darkness of his own room, not wanting to turn on the lights in fear, of losing memory of the words, of breaking whatever it was that finally allowed him to remember just a little piece.

‘’I don’t know.’’ He heard his friend sigh, all done already.

But he really, really didn’t.

How could he know what was it, what was going on, why was he reacting so suddenly to whatever went inside his head just minutes ago, if he couldn’t remember anything but that word, that word that got him feeling sad and strained and all kind of bad.

_‘’Sooil.’’_ Jinwook deadpanned.

He played a little more with the sheets of his bed, thin and useless for the winter. ‘’I guess is just the dreams, again.’’

_‘’Sooil…’’_ It was softer than how he usually spoke, different and a little awkward, but Sooil appreciated the effort for comfort. _‘’We talked about it before, didn’t we?’’_ He, dumbly, nodded in the darkness of his own room, thankful Jinwook couldn’t see it _. ‘’Is just dreams, alright?’’_

Just dreams.

Just dreams, that’s what he needed to keep repeating to himself.

Just dreams, a coping mechanism.

But, why, then, if it was his mind supposedly trying to escape from the anxious thoughts running around on his mind, did he feel so drained, so sad, so overwhelmed, when he woke up, shouldn’t he be feeling…like he always did when he usually woke up? Content and warm and a heart full even on the days he woke up crying?

This was different.

It didn’t help it was the first time it had happened.

He couldn’t go back to sleep after that, his heart beating all sad and filled with sorrow, eyes remaining open no matter how hard he tried to get them closed, staring at the ceiling and the flashing lights of cars going past his building, accompanied only by the rush of the city outside, by the neon signs still on so late, by the voice of the people in a city that never slept.

He decided, while standing up from his bed, that he would join it.

Join all the insomniacs still walking around, still working, rushing, instead of resting.

Walking down the street towards the convenience store just down the road, greeted by some neon signs along the way, of stores already closed, of some other apartment complexes, glass doors opening automatically, a small _ding_ announcing the entrance of another client so late at night, the cashier, a student with a book in hand, just barely looked up, face unimpressed, before going back to whatever she was studying.

Sooil brought only enough money to buy some sweets, some of that instant soup Jinwook used to ‘’cook’’ for him back when they roomed together for college, soup he was sure would cure whatever had gotten into him now, because, albeit a little nostalgic, tasteless and greasy, always got his mood up.

He greeted the employee behind the counter not receiving a response before he started walking around the aisles.

It was quiet inside, just the rumbling of the AC despite the already cold temperature, and the quiet sound of the TV, a cartoon playing softly in the background as the only noise accompanying him on his quest for food he could use to eat his feelings away, and, in the quiet of the night, while staring at some cookies, it was rather startling to hear the crashes and thumps coming from the next aisle, a man cursing softly, probably groaning at the mess.

And Sooil was sleepy, he was tired, but he still walked towards the sound, looking to help in case it was needed.

He saw a familiar face crouched down in front of a few questionable amount of canned energizing drinks for just one person rolling around his feet, he looked distressed, worried, so tired, and even when Sooil was still feeling fatigued from waking up crying, he crouched down beside him, helping him pick a few of the cans.

The man was about to talk, Sooil not sure what he was going to say, it could be words of gratitude, or an insulting _get lost_ , considering how late it was and how tired he looked, considering they had only met once by pure chance, but he never found out, because the man’s mouth fell shut, eyes wide with recognition when they finally saw him.

Sooil decided to go for a smile.

‘’Seems like we meet again.’’ And the man seemed startled, black hair falling into his tired red eyes, bags hanging heavily under them, blinking slowly, almost as if trying to keep himself awake.

Sooil decided to put the cans on his own basket, seeming as the man didn’t have one with him, still smiling, trying for it to be kind, comforting, because he looked like he needed it.

The stranger, the man he had seen just a few days pulling inside his already occupied cab confused, looked just as lost as the first time, when he opened the door to find him already seating there, piling a few cans on his arms.

‘’Are you having a rough night?’’ He asked honestly, and the stranger finally gave a response, a little smile that held not much emotion in it.

‘’We are working late tonight.’’ He spoke, and Sooil’s heart did this thing where it dropped to his stomach.

Because that voice, it…it wasn’t—

It couldn’t be the same sound.

It…it couldn’t, could it?

He shook his head, blinking rapidly to rid himself from that, this stranger was having a really rough night, he couldn’t start to get deep in thought like that, not when someone else needed the comfort.

‘’Isn’t this a little excessive?’’ Sooil lowered his volume, just because the quiet was better, and the stranger could be having a headache for all he knew. ‘’It’ll be reaching four in the morning in no time.’’ And the man sighed a little too heavily, Sooil wanted to offer a hug, but they were currently filled with cans that could fall dangerously back into the floor.

‘’It’s important.’’ He said, volume also low, eyes closing for just a moment, squeezing, almost as if the light was hurting them. ‘’I went out to buy some drinks, some workers started falling asleep so close to finishing.’’ Sooil decided, with the way he was swaying in place, that he should take the cans from his arms, the black hired man letting him, sighing relieved, pulling them safely into the basket.

And slowly, a little hesitant, he touched the man’s elbow, and gave a smile he hoped didn’t look threatening.

‘’Let me help you out.’’ He whispered. ‘’You seem tired yourself.’’

And, with a last sleepy blink, he allowed Sooil to guide him through the aisles, towards the cashier, allowed Sooil to be the one putting the cans on top of the counter, allowed Sooil to be the one paying attention to numbers and the prices, only taking his wallet out once the amount was settled.

‘’Do you want me to walk you there?’’ Sooil asked softly when the cans were inside a plastic bag already, but the stranger just shook his head.

‘’I can manage; I wouldn’t want to disturb you anymore longer than I already had.’’

But Sooil just shook his head.

‘’Is not a problem, really.’’ He wanted to say he’ll feel calmer going home knowing he didn’t pass out on the streets on his way back or something, but decided to keep his mouth shut, not wanting to sound creepy, after all they were nowhere near being even acquaintances.

The man gave him a smile, but still refused politely, thanking him for the help, taking the bags ready to head towards the door, but stopped dead in his tracks before he even started walking.

‘’What is it?’’ Sooil asked worriedly. ‘’Did you forget something?’’

‘’Your jacket,’’ He whispered softly. ‘’I never gave it back, I—‘’

Sooil laughed.

‘’Don’t worry about it.’’ And maybe it was hope, a little wishful thinking when he said. ‘’You can give it to me next time.’’

Sooil was hopeful they could see each other again like that.

He wasn’t missing the jacket anyways.

The man just smiled, tired, confused. ‘’Alright.’’

And with that he walked out, Sooil staring a little longer than he should, only to make sure he didn’t trip or fell or anything.

He ended up not buying anything, for once, he didn’t need the greasy soup to feel better.

_A supposedly smart scholar who lost it all to his heart._

_‘’Kogyeol…’’_

_‘’Someone is bound to find out.’’ Stubborn was the heart, because the statement was sad, filled with worry, words shaky, but his hands were still accepting the prince’s own, clutching to them. ‘’They’ll hurt you if they find out.’’_

_‘’Why are you worrying about me?’’ And their foreheads, they would touch, in moments of doubt, in those moments that always came around, after long days of not seeing each other, after long days of people pulling them apart, they would worry. ‘’I’ll be fine, I promise.’’ The prince said, looking into his eyes. ‘’And, just so you know, I won’t let them hurt you, ever.’’_

_As a scholar, he wasn’t supposed to believe in the uncertainty, he needed facts, facts that were not provided by his time alive, but because it was Kuhn, because it was his prince, he would let his mind go, his heart taking over the soft promises._

_‘’Are you sure?’’_

_‘’I don’t break my promises, do I?’’_

_The scholar would smile, teasing._

_‘’You are quiet the irresponsible one.’’_

_‘’Just for you.’’_

_But the prince would always leave him speechless._

His computer screen blinked back at him, and it felt mocking, the unfinished work shinning on his face, annoyingly bright for how late it was, tired eyes only being able to stare, tired eyes only being able to blink back, dejected.

‘’I hope you know you are still sharing your screen with me.’’ Wooseok huffed through the speakers, the skype call still going in the background, Wooseok’s face small in the top corner, eyes disapproving and just as tired. ‘’And I can tell you are not reading the graphs.’’

Minsoo sighed, not even attempting to cover the fact that he had stopped working a while ago, just closing the tab, it was fruitless anyways, he had tried to redact his search differently so many times already and every single time it was like getting colder than before, nothing coming up at all, pages narrowing down in numbers with every single extra word he typed.

‘’I’m sorry.’’ He mumbled, hand combing through his hair, tangling it between his fingers. ‘’I’m just getting frustrated.’’

‘’I can see that.’’ Wooseok mumbled. ‘’Why were you looking through history pages, anyways?’’ He asked softly, Minsoo could see him rustle around some paper, probably trying to get back on track to what they were supposed to be doing, not that either of them were succeeding. ‘’We covered that in high school, why revisit something so boring?’’

Minsoo wanted to tell him it was nothing, wanted to stop talking all together, probably even end the call itself, get back to bed and sleep, but he knew, he knew that as soon as he closed his eyes he was going to be back there, inside the strange buildings, old and antique, he was going to be back there, talking to a face he could never remember, could never place.

It kept tormenting him every single night.

‘’I’m trying to find something.’’ He spoke softly, staring at the numbers and long highlighted paragraphs of the copies in front of him, copies they were supposed to be working on.

‘’That much is obvious,’’ Wooseok’s voice filtered through his room, through the screen he could see his friend laying on his desk more comfortably, resting on his hands. ‘’I would like to know what, though.’’ He didn’t answer, he had no intentions on answering, and Wooseok sighed. ‘’Does it have to do with the weird dreams you’ve been having.’’

He let out a long breath, closing his eyes momentarily. ‘’Yeah.’’ Pointless, it was pointless, they were just dreams. ‘’I just…I keep seeing this places, they…they look so real I thought maybe…’’ He wasn’t sure, maybe he could find them? Maybe he could find something that clued him in whatever his mind was making up? There was a long frustrated sound going past his lips. ‘’And then there’s that man I—‘’

He scoffed.

He didn’t know.

_He didn’t know._

Why his heart felt so full whenever he woke up after dreaming with a man but frustrated at not being able to remember his face, his words, why he felt so sad everyday afterwards, like there was something missing, like there was something he needed, something he wanted.

‘’We can book an appointment, like Jinhyuk suggested,’’ Wooseok whispered calmly. ‘’For hypnosis, you know?’’ Minsoo huffed, opening his eyes to stare. ‘’He says sessions are supposed to reveal things, maybe it can help you understand what the heck is going on.’’

Why his mind kept remembering long robes, why when he woke up he could still feel the material so clearly under his fingers, why he kept remembering long hair and soft skin and warm eyes he couldn’t place into any face he had seen before.

Minsoo still stared, shaking his head. ‘’It’s ridiculous,’’ He mumbled. ‘’I’m not following along with a single word Jinhyuk says.’’

Wooseok hummed, and it felt like the end of that conversation.

But he was itching.

Something about those dreams, about the sounds, the whispers, running around his head, crowding him, pushing him against corners, he needed to know, he needed to find out what was it, why there were words thrown at him like he was supposed to know what they meant, why, every time he slept, walked through gardes, through libraries he had never seen before while awake they felt so familiar, so common.

Why everything felt like a memory.

Vivid.

Screaming at him through the dark about moments, moments he felt like he had lived through at some point.

‘’Let’s just get back to work.’’ He said instead of asking, of spilling, of letting everything out.

Wooseok groaned, blinking the sleep away. ‘’No,’’ He mumbled. ‘’We’ve been at it the entire night, I’m going to sleep, goodbye.’’ He didn’t cut the call short, and Minsoo shuddered a little.

‘’I told you I prefer a see you later.’’

Goodbye was too strong, he had never liked that word.

‘’Yeah, yeah,’’ He dismissed. ‘’Try to get some sleep, we need to finish this tomorrow.’’

Minsoo sighed when the screen went black, and with a last glance at the sticky note, all crumpled and smudged, over his desk, with words he kept hearing, his mind repeating them every time he woke up, he moved away from it, pushing the chair back, walking around the room searching for his pajamas, lights dim and the rumble of the ceiling fan the only thing keeping him company.

The prince he kept seeing, the prince he kept calling his own, that needed to wait for another time.

Or maybe never.

They were just dreams after all.

_‘’What do they say?’’ The prince would ask when they went quiet for too long, enjoying each other’s company, enjoying moments like those, where it was just them two. ‘’The books, I mean.’’_

_The scholar, however, knew perfectly it was just the prince’s way of bringing back his attention towards him instead of the book on his lap._

_‘’Is silly, a belief of the elders.’’ He would dismiss, just for fun, to see the prince pout, purse his lips from where he was resting his head on his lap._

_‘’Tell me about it.’’ He would whine, and it was by then Kogyeol would give up, not because his heart was weak, absolutely not, but because it was his job, to teach what he knew._

_‘’They believe on a red thread, it supposedly brings souls together, two halves of a whole.’’ And he would laugh, because love, those were things minds were not supposed to understand, feelings far too complicated to yet be studied, but the prince never laughed with him._

_‘’Do you believe in it?’’_

_‘’They seem like bed time stories.’’ Because it was taught to him to ignore such stories, knowledge was valuable, things like that were not worth teaching._

_‘’I like it.’’ The prince would whisper, quietly, for just Kogyeol to hear. ‘’It makes me happy, knowing that if we ever get apart, we could still find each other somehow.’’_

_‘’Are we bound by destiny now?’’_

_‘’I like to think we are.’’_

_He still laughed._

_But suddenly, as valuable as knowledge was, the lessons he was told to forget about held a lot more value._

‘’How would you call it?’’ Sooil whispered, trying not to disturb the few people inside the almost empty car of the subway.

He had been rushing that morning, running around, stressed over the fact he fell asleep through the five alarms, eyes clinging together even when the sun disturbed them lightly, he had been rushing, paying for his ticket a little too quickly, almost forgetting to pick the change, running around stops hurriedly, almost tripping down the stairs of the subway when he lost his footing.

But the moment he stepped inside, the moment his eyes landed on the figure seating there, closer to the doors, with a book in hand, legs crossed, glasses perched over his nose, he couldn’t help but slow down, stress from going late to work, stress from the impending scolding he was going to get from his boss, all of that melted away when he saw the familiar face.

The man was staring at him a little startled over the sound, for how quiet everything was, Sooil sat down next to him, smile still on his face widely.

‘’When two strangers keep meeting by chance,’’ Sooil continued when he raised his eyebrows. ‘’Would you call it fate?’’

The man raised his lips, closing his book and placing it neatly on his lap, the scarf warmly wrapped around his neck covering that soft smile a little, and for a moment, Sooil wanted to remove it, push it down just slightly, so he could see it better.

He didn’t, obviously, he just stared back, feeling a lot better than he had felt when his eyes opened.

‘’Isn’t that a little silly?’’ He asked, and Sooil couldn’t help the small giggle, the sound filling the car, startling an old lady a few seats down.

‘’Why would it be?’’ He lowered his voice. ‘’We keep finding each other, don’t we?’’

‘’So?’’ He countered, leaning in closer, and Sooil’s heart pumped, smile widening. ‘’A few times is enough for you to think the universe has something planned?’’

He shrugged, eyes going to look at the windows, smile still never leaving.

‘’Maybe.’’

He heard the stranger snort, through the reflection in the window he could see him going back to the book in his lap, glasses sliding down his nose a little, Sooil yawned, just because it was too early, because he was still tired, of dreaming constantly about a voice, that morning he woke up feeling full, though, happy.

His eyes went to look at the book as well.

‘’Oh? Are you interested in history?’’ He asked, and the man just spare him a short look.

‘’Not really.’’ He answered, eyes never leaving the page, reading over the words softly, muttering under his breath. ‘’I’m just…looking for something.’’

Sooil hummed.

A robotic voice, quiet, filtered through the speakers, announcing the next stop, and momentarily, over the warmth, over seeing him again, Sooil forgot he was late to work, mind almost missing completely that he was supposed to get down in the next one.

He was staring when they slowed down, when they approached the stop, he kept staring through it all, his heart beating happily over his chest, his cheeks feeling warm and stretching nicely over the smile.

_‘’I don’t like it.’’ The prince would tell him whenever they finished their sessions. ‘’I don’t like it when you say goodbye, it makes me feel like I’ll never see you again.’’_

_He would only nod, part of his same insecurities. ‘’I see.’’ He would pretend, like he was thinking, humming while his hands rested on his hips. ‘’What would my prince approve as a goodbye, then?’’_

_‘’What about saying I love you instead? Would that work?’’ Sly, a smirk on his face over the small blush on the scholar’s._

_‘’I think a ‘’see you later’’ is enough.’’_

_‘’Just don’t say goodbye.’’_

_‘’Promise.’’_

‘’This is my stop,’’ Sooil told him when the car stopped moving completely, taking his bag, standing up from his seat to stare back at the stranger.

He seemed surprised, and Sooil liked to think the small disappointed look on his face was real and not something his mind was making up.

‘’I’ll see you around.’’ The stranger told him, nodding his head softly, lips pulling up just slightly.

And Sooil couldn’t help it, really, the way his eyebrows rose, one cocking slightly, curious.

‘’Is that a promise?’’ He asked, the doors were open and he really should get going, but the smile, with his teeth showing and his eyes crinkling, the smile the stranger was giving him, this time not covered by the scarf, were enough to root him in place.

‘’It’s more like a wish.’’ Sooil’s heart started beating faster, his cheeks warming, something in his heart squeezing tightly, but he didn’t feel sad, didn’t feel frustrated.

It felt like he found something.

He found him.

‘’Now go, before the doors close.’’

Sooil blinked. ‘’Right.’’ He told himself a little startled, feet moving. ‘’We’ll meet again.’’ He told the stranger. ‘’I hope you find what you are looking for.’’ He threw over his shoulder before the doors closed, and one last look through the windows, one last smile, he felt ready, to face the day, no matter how late he was already running to work.

He found something.

He found him.

And he wasn’t sure what it meant, why he felt like that, but it was enough, to get him through the day, to get him through hours of lectures and angry bosses yelling.

_He found him._

_A scholar and a prince, and how they fell in love in between quiet lessons and lovely smiles._

_It took a servant, spying on a private moment, a moment where honorifics, formal language was nonexistent, a moment of lips meeting halfway, of soft whispers thrown for nobody else to hear, it only took one moment, for blood to spill, the stars and the moon the only witnesses to their little story, like they had always been._

_It took a second for their whole world to crumble, for the monarchs to get involved, for the word to spill out of the safe walls inside the castle, it took a second, and then it was gone._

_Disgrace, they yelled at the prince._

_A failure, they yelled at the scholar._

_It took that tiny moment, for a sword to be wielded, for the sharp edge to cut skin, to take._

_A scream, a piercing one filled with pain, another one accompanying it even when just one had been hurt._

_‘’I promised,’’ The prince said, while laying down, a cut too deep near his chest the scholar was too afraid to look at. ‘’I promised I wouldn’t let them hurt you.’’_

_And it felt like a confession, of failure._

_They hurt them, they hurt them both._

_And between blood and an aftermath, with broken hearts, the prince didn’t say goodbye to the face of his lover, ‘’We’ll find each other, we will.’’ Was all he whispered before what was left of the life in his eyes withered away, the last thing he saw was the prince’s tears, the Scholar’s own blood spilling as well, over words and words he was suddenly deaf to._

It was a quiet afternoon when they met each other again, just a few days after, and maybe something of what the stranger kept saying was true.

If two strangers keep meeting by chance, how would you call it?

It was a small restaurant, one Wooseok had visited once and decided to recommend to everybody at the office, one that Minsoo decided to try that Sunday afternoon after doing nothing but lay in bed the entire day, it wasn’t packed, it wasn’t filled with people talking, almost hidden between streets, covered by the markets and the vendors around it.

So it was hard not to miss the familiar figure seating down in one of the tables, looking out of the window with the menu still opened, looking almost lost in thought, not caring much for ordering, it seemed, not paying much attention to his surroundings.

‘’Is there a problem with the food?’’ Minsoo approached, startling the man, his honey brown hair pushed back messily, his clothes more casual than he had ever seen him, the stranger, albeit surprised, gave him a smile. ‘’You don’t seem that interested in ordering.’’

The man blinked down at the menu, almost as if just remembering it was there.

‘’Oh, is not that.’’ He commented, pointing at the chair in front of him, motioning for Minsoo to sit, and invitation he took eagerly. ‘’I was supposed to meet a friend here but he cancelled, guess I was just thinking if it’ll be worth staying.’’

Minsoo nodded. ‘’And what did you conclude?’’

The man smiled, widely, leaning a little over the table, resting on his elbows. ‘’Well, now that you are here I think is definitely worth it.’’

Minsoo snorted in disbelief, maybe, shaking his head.

‘’Is that an invitation?’’

The man smirked.

‘’It could be a date if you want.’’

He laughed, breathy, closing his eyes to stop himself from falling deeper.

When he woke up that morning, he woke up feeling hollow, a missing piece on his beating heart getting him frustrated, but seating there, with the same stranger he kept meeting everywhere, he felt fine, warm, the missing piece gone, no matter how fast questions were still rushing by him, no matter how much more sticky notes he had over his desk, with names he couldn’t recognize, with terms he wasn’t sure he had ever used, with warm stories of a prince and a scholar, he felt fine.

He was glad he pushed himself out of bed that afternoon.

‘’I think is just fair,’’ He said, still a little breathy, when he opened his eyes just to see that smile again. ‘’To do the introductions before you can take me out.’’

The stranger’s smile widened.

‘’I don’t know,’’ He smirked. ‘’I like the mystery of it all.’’

He shook his head, but he still felt warm, giddy, all kinds of happy. ‘’Go Minsoo.’’ He said, stretching a hand over the table.

The man took it softly, and the touch, it send shivers down his spine, it colored his cheeks, it felt so good, so good for some reason, it felt like he could breathe, like he could see, everything coming to him at once, overwhelming but so incredibly good.

He sucked in a shaky breath when he felt the burning behind his eyelids, the happy tears threatening to get out, because it felt like coming home after a long day, it felt like a warm hug after a stressful night, it felt all kinds of nice things that kept making his heart beat faster he could feel it, pumping against his chest, rapidly.

The stranger was staring him with the same stricken expression, was holding the same confusion over his eyebrows but the same relief over his body, the same ragged breathing he was trying so hard to control.

‘’No Sooil.’’ He whispered.

And Minsoo smiled, over the emotions, over everything.

He felt relieved, it felt like he found something he wasn’t even aware he had lost.

_How would you call it? When two strangers keep finding each other by chance?_

Looking at the man in front of him, at Sooil, who had not let go of his hand even after introductions were done, who was staring at him with warm eyes and soft smiles, he wondered then, if he could call it fate.

He wondered then if it was meant to happen from the beginning.

Following a story they kept seeing at night.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed it, and I hope you can excuse the mistakes I might have missed while editing.
> 
> Anyways, as always folks, I wish you all a great day.
> 
> Kudos and comments, again, are greatly appreaciated.
> 
> Hope we can meet again soon, and happy new year to my Honey10, let's hope this year goes better than the last one.


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